So.......does anyone like the Color Purple? — Page 2

I enjoyed the show, but mostly because I love the novel and film so much.

I enjoy the score quite a bit, though Gary Griffin should be tried for crimes against humanity for his horrid direction. Sketchy writing and structual problems aside, the show would have been a lot more moving if Griffin kept far away.

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I did a search but couldn't find any threads on the show in Chicago. I was wondering how the cast is.

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I don't think we ever said that ONLY black people would be able to like the show. We were saying that black people may like the show more than others because it's a black show with black themes and all black cast. Another example would be THE WIZ. When it first opened on Broadway, it got mixed reviews from the critics and was on the verge of closing. When they ran a TV ad, however, advertising young black kids singing Ease on Down the Road, it encouraged other black people to go and see the show. It went on to win the Best Musical Tony and ran for over 1000 performances. Now, it's almost a sin in the young black community if you've never seen the show or the movie (however bad it may be). Not to say that white people OR OTHER ETHNICITIES could not enjoy it. The same can be said with many prodominently black plays and movies.

There - did that make my comments not seem as bad?

Best part of the show.

End of Act 1.

Nettie: I'm ALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!!!!!

And WHAT is with the 45 minute African dance session at the top of Act 2? We got the point after the first 5 minutes!

MJL was approached with writing the score early on, with Audra in mind for Celie. Now that would have been a REAL musical version of the story of The Color Purple. Not the cartoon I saw onstage.

I went in wanting to love it. I found myself laughing through most of it.

The musical does NOT serve the material.

Unfortunately I didn't like the show or the CD of the Color Purple. I played the CD a couple of times and gave it away. The only songs I really liked were "Miss Celie's Pants" and the finale.

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I loved it, but a lot of us are afraid to say anything because we are made to feel that there is something wrong with us, that we aren't sophisticated enough to know when something is good or bad. Go ahead and like what you want.

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It has its flaws but I loved it. I didn't really like the top of Act 2-- it dragged on.

dickondefygravity, when did you see fantasia in TCP?

She received an absolutely smashing review from Michael Musto who is very honest and will slam anything that isn't up to par, especially an idol contestant with no prior theatre experience. He basically say's she's the best thing TCP has ever seen. As matter or fact, he calls it pure genius. The best line in his review was"

" Fantasia fully inhabits the role, serving up pathos, defiance, humor, and sass as the woman who feels God abandoned her but who learns to fully love herself. "

I like this part to:

"Putting one more mass-appeal TV star on Broadway could have easily amounted to just another cheesy bit of stunt casting, but in this case it's a piece of sheer genius that totally REBA MCENTIREs up the show. "


Full review here:

http://www.villagevoice.com/nyclife/0717,musto,76437,15.html

Updated On: 4/26/07 at 02:15 PM

Starlet,

All the bad reviews from where? Of the show, in general, or of Fantasia? --- the show as a whole got basically mixed reviews-- Fantasia, as far as what I have read, has gotten (well-deserved, in my opinion) raves ! She is great !!!

I'm white and personally prefer a powerful female black voice to any other voice any day of the week. I'm simply in love with the African American vocal instrument!

The first time I heard the CD I was not a fan. However, I look back and simply have NO IDEA why. Now it is truly one of my most incredible CD's I own. I listen to it and (perhaps it sounds cheesy) but it is so moving and inspirational. I love it.

I will be seeing the show for my first time in exactly two weeks and couldn't be more excited. I'll be in NYC for over a week and TCP is the thing I'm looking forward to most.

*goes and puts in Color Purple CD after talking about it so much* :)

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